The Ivywild School

Ivywild Elementary School opened its doors in 1916 and served the Ivywild neighborhood until 2009. Obviously it's a big, beautiful and historic old building, so when the plan of converting it into a multi-use space after its closure was put into action, it was an all around win. Now the Ivywild School is a very popular gathering place, housing the Bristol Brewery, a coffee bar, a bakery, a restaurant, a performance space, shops, and even office space. I love the Ivywild neighborhood but it's a little out of my orbit (I tend to hang out downtown, as you know, and Ivywild is in the part of town generally known as the Broadmoor area), so I must confess that I never went there until two weekends ago! I was so intrigued, I went back again on Sunday to take these pictures. I really like what they've done with the place! There is another decommissioned old school very near my studio, and I'm excited that it's undergoing a similar transformation. I can't wait for it to open.

My cappuccino. The "Principal's Office" is a great place to just sit and enjoy a coffee.

There's a boulangerie/patisserie in the main hallway.

There are also a couple of cute shops. I'll have to check these out the next time I'm there.